Mechanism for selecting and operating any desired one of a plurality of rods or the like



y 1936. c. H. HUMPHREYS 2,041,503

MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1934 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

1M 19, 1936. c. H. HUMPHREYS v MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANYDESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1954 '11 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.1.

V Fig. 2.

- May 19, 1936 c. H. HUMPHREYS MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF'RODS OR. THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1934 11 Sheets She-et 5 May 19, 1936. c HUMPHREYS 2,041,608

MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1954 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 //V VE N701? MQM WV ATTORNEY c. H. HUMPHREYS 2,041,608 MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April 7 1934 II Sheets-Sheet 5 May '19, 1936'. I

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MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April '7, 1954 ll Sheets-Sheet '1 May 19, 1936- c. H. HUMPHREYS 2,041,608

MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April v"1', 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 C. H. HUMPHREYS 2041608 MEGHANISM-FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS on THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 RH mm NW- 3 MR1- a;

19, 1936. c. H. HUMPHREYS 2,041,608 MECHA M FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ALI E OF A PLUR TY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1934 Sh6tS-Sh88t 1O 19, 1936. c. H. HUMPHREYS MECHANISM FOR SELECTING AND OPERATING ANY DESIRED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF RODS OR THE LIKE Filed April 7, 1934 11 SheetsSheet ll Fig. 18.

. I Q I a i/ \\\\\\\x W A 208 Wren 70A Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles Humphrey Humphreys, Carlton, Bedford, England Application April '7, 1934, Serial No. 719,567 In Great Britain April 12, 1933 15 Claims. (C1. 74-334) The present invention relates generally to that type of apparatus in which a plurality of slidable members (for use, say, in the engagement and disengagement of the gears of a gear box upon a vehicle) are controlled by locking means adapted to be pro-selected for release, and in which any member whose lock has been so selected is biased for release by a spring so that said release may be completed on the return of any previously displaced member to neutral, such return being carried out and rendered elfective on the locking means by the action of an element common to all the slidable members such as the control member of an engine clutch.

Now the object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism of the above general character for selecting for movement and operating any desired one of a plurality of movable members.

Although of general use in the pre-selection and operation of any members, the invention is particularly adapted for use in the engagement and disengagement of the gears of a gear box for automobiles, for example, since the driver has only to pre-select the particular gear to be engaged and then to operate the control member, which may conveniently consist of the usual clutch-operating pedal, whereupon the desired gear will be engaged simultaneously with the re- 0 turn to the inoperative or neutral position of any other gear which is engaged at the time of the pre-selection of the chosen gear.

According to my invention, the selector device, which may be a multiple cam disc, func- 35 tions to change a positive lock to a friction held lock the latter being subsequently released by a simple movement of the control common to the slidable members such as the engine clutch control.

40 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the construction of the selector device is such that when one of the locking devices is selected for release any other locking device which may then be in a released position is positively selected 45 for return to its operative or locking position.

Preferably also the slidable members will be arranged so as normally to tend to take up an operative position, the locking devices being held in place by reason of such tendency and the 00 selecting means each being adapted to exert a releasing force on one of said locking devices and means being provided for overcoming the tendency of the slidable members to take up operative positions, thus allowing the selecting means 5 to efiect withdrawal of the locking devices.

In one constructional embodiment of the invention, said slidable members are associated with selecting devices comprising pivoted locking levers which normally act to hold the members against movement even though one of the 5 said members has been selected for movement, said selecting devices also being so constructed and arranged that after all the members have been moved initially to free the locking devices, any one of the selecting devices can act to bring 0 the selected locking device into an inoperative position in which the member is free to slide. When this construction is applied to the gear box of an automobile vehicle some or all of the slidable members may be arranged to be opera- 15 tive in pairs and, to this end, they may be interconnected in such a manner that when one of the members of a pair moves into the operative position, the other member will be returned to the inoperative or neutral position. The said 20 members may consist of slidable shafts, blocks or saddles or the like, which are arranged to be moved into the operative position under the action of springs and to be returned into the inoperative or neutral position by positively 25 acting means.

One or more of the members to be moved may be adapted to occupy two operative positions, one on one side of a neutral position and the other on the other side thereof.

The pivoted locking means are conveniently arranged to be operated by one or more turnable or slidable members, which act to bring the desired slidable member into a releasable position and simultaneously to bring the other slidable members into a locked position or to allow them to remain in that position. The pivoted locking means of the locking and selecting device are loosely connected to their corresponding selecting devices and the latter on being moved for selection are adapted to exert a force tending to withdraw their associated locking devices from their operative positions. For this purpose, the locking means and selecting devices each comprise a pivoted lever or levers, the locking and selecting levers being resiliently interconnected either directly or indirectly and the arrangement being such that the selecting lever or levers can be moved independently of the locking lever but then exerts a force thereon by reason of its resilient connection therewith. This result may be effected in various ways. For example, each selecting device may comprise a pair of fingers or feelers held in contact with the opposite surfaces of a cam plate by means of a spring. The

selecting device may also comprise a pawl which, by co-operation with the corresponding slidable member, acts to retain the latter against movement until it is released under the action of said positively acting means, whereupon said spring means acts to force the pawl out of engagement with the slidable member. Instead of employing a pair of fingers, however, a single resilient finger, guided by cam faces, may be used to obtain the same result. The said cam plate may be operatively connected to a control lever arranged to work over a quadrant disposed within easy reach of the operator and the said positively acting means may consist of one or more slidable blocks or the like which, by contact with the slidable members, or some of the latter, acts to release the pawl co-operating with the selected slidable member and also to return to the inoperative or neutral position any of the other slidable members which may have been moved previously into the operative position.

Other constructional forms of the invention and the application of the invention to gear boxes of automobile vehicles are referred to in the description which follows.

Several constructional forms of the invention, applied to gear boxes of automobile vehicles, are shown by way of example, on the accompanying sheets of drawings, whereon:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one construction comprising slidable shafts;

Fig. 2 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line BC in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section; showing the selecting device and locking pawl for some of the slidable shafts;

, Fig. 6 is a View corresponding to Fig. 5, but showing the locking pawl disengaged from the shaft;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the selecting means and locking device used for the other shafts;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of the mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line CD in Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows D;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line EF in Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows C.

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation on the line XY in Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrow G. Fig. 12 is a view of the strips or plates to which the striker forks are connected;

Fig. 13 is a sectional plan of a further modification:

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation corresponding to Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing three of the slidable blocks used in this modification;

Fig. 16 is a section on the line A-B in Fig. 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line C-D in Fig. 13 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 18 is a view illustrating a modified method of operating a striker fork by means of two members mounted on a slidable shaft.

Fig. 19 is a view of modified auxiliary locking means for slidable shafts.

Fig. 20 is a view illustrating a further modified method of operating a striker fork by two members mounted on a slidable shaft.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, to the lower part of the clutch pedal l a rod 2 is pivotally secured by means of a yoke-member 3, said rod being connected to a slidable shaft 4 by a coupling 5 so that the arcuate movement of the pedal will cause the shaft to be moved rectilinearly. The shaft is provided with a key 6 and slides in a frame-like structure comprising two end plates 1 and 8, which are connected by bars 9. The plate I carries a sleeve If] to which a collar ll, provided with an arm l2 whereby it may be rotated, is fixed. The sleeve it extends through the plate I and is provided at its inner extremity with a cam disc l3 formed with a number of spaced cams l4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The cams l4 co-operate with five pairs of feeler-arms l5 to form the gear selecting mechanism, the collar ll being rotated until a particular cam engages with the desired pair of feeler-arms to effect the selection. Five feathered shafts l6, l1, l8, l9 and 28 are slidably arranged at the upper parts of the end plates l and 8, two similar shafts 2! and 22 also being slidably arranged at the lower parts of said plates and adapted to communicate their movements to the shafts H and I 9 through levers 23 and 24. The lower ends of the levers 23 and 24, see Figs. 1 and 3 project through slots cut in the shafts 2| and 22 respectively, whilst the upper ends of the levers pass through similar slots cut in the shafts l1 and I9. Sleeves 25 are arranged over the slotted parts of the shafts I1, I9, 2! and 22 and are provided with shorter slots so as to allow a certain latitude of adjustment. Each of the levers 23 and 24 is pivotally supported by a fork-member 26 secured to the end plate 8 as shown in Fig. 1.

Blocks 21, 28 and 29 are fixed respectively to the shafts I6, l8 and 20, the block 21 carrying a striker-fork HA and being adapted to control the movement of the reverse gear of the gear-box to which the mechanism is fitted. The said block is also pulled in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2, by means of a tension spring 30, secured at its opposite end to a hook 3i fixed to the endplate 8. In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the reverse striker-fork 21A is not in the gearengaging position but, as soon as it is released as described hereinafter, it will move rearward together with the shaft under the action of the spring 30, and will carry out the gear engagement. The block 28 is provided with an arm 32 to which one end of a tension spring 33 is fixed, the opposite end of the latter being attached to the sleeve 25 on the rod IT by means of a pin 34. The block 29 is provided with an arm 35 to which one end of a spring 36, which is also attached to a pin 31 on the sleeve 25 on the shaft I9 is secured.

Saddles 38 and 39 are slidably mounted on the shafts l1 and I9 and are formed with lateral extensions 40 and 4| which slidably embrace the adjacent shafts l8 and 2D and carry striker forks 42 and 43 adapted to actuate the first and second, and third and fourth gears, respectively. Forward movement (1. e. in a direction towards the clutch-pedal I) of the fork 42 results in the engagement of the first gear and movement thereof in the opposite direction results in the engagement of the second gear. Forward movement of the fork 43 causes engagement of the third ear and movement in the reverse direction, the engagement of the fourth or top gear.

The two levers 23 and 24 are provided for reversing the direction of movement of the shafts 2i and 22, in order that the forks 42 and 43 may be movable in both forward and backward direction. It is clear, therefore, that the shafts l1 and I9 are provided merely-to convey the reversed movements of said shafts 2| and 22. Thus, it is necessary to select the shafts 2|, 22, I6, I8 or 20 only, the selection of the shafts I! and I9 being entirely dependent upon the shafts 2| and 22. The tendency of the springs 33 and 36, is to pull the block 28 and the sleeve 25 on the shaft I! and the block 29 and the sleeve 25 on the shaft I 9 towards each other, with the result that the shafts 2| and 22, as well as the shafts I5, I8 and 20, move backwards i. e. away from the clutch-pedal I, when released. Thus, when the mechanism is in its neutral position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shafts which are to be selectable all tend to move backwards but they are restrained from so doing, however, until selected by one of the selector cams I4.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 each of the shafts to be selected is provided with a pair of feeler arms I5 supported on a pin 45 provided in a bracket 44, a tension spring 46 being mounted between each pair of arms I5 so that the arms are drawn towards each other but are held apart by means of the cam disc I3. Arranged between each pair of arms I5 is a pin 41 which is supported by the two parts 48 of a bifurcated arm of a bell crank lever, whose other arm 49 is made in the form of a locking pawl. In Fig. '7, which illustrates also the arrangement adopted for the shaft I6, the locking pawl 49 is shown in engagement with the underside of the block 29 on the shaft 29, the extremity of the pawl contacting with an abutment 50. As stated above, the shafts I6 and 25 tend to move backwards, so that the pawl 49 will normally be held in position at the back of the abutment 59.

The arrangement for the selection of the shaft 2I and also of the shaft 22 is shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. In these two cases, the locking pawl 49 engages directly in a recess 5I cut in the shaft 2I or 22, as the case may be. The same arrangement is used in the case of the shaft I8, see Fig. 4. The shafts 2I and 22 are provided, respectively, with blocks 52 and 53, see Figs. 1 and 4, said blocks being cut away, see also Figs. 5 and 6, in order to allow the pawls 49 to engage in the recesses 5 I Referring to Fig. 6, when a cam I4 moves between a pair of the feeler arms I5, one of the arms is moved laterally, whilst the other, shown in chain-dotted lines, remains unmoved. The spring 45 is thus stretched by the movement of the one arm and tends to draw the other arm over to the position shown in full lines but no such movement can take place because of the pin 41. The latter and. also the pawl 49 still retain the positions indicated by the chain-dotted lines. The spring 45 tends to withdraw the pawl 49 from the shaft 2I, but the spring-pressure upon the latter tending to draw it away from the plate I is sufiicient to hold the pawl in engagement with the recess 5I by reason of the friction between the pawl and shaft. The latteris thus locked against movement until it is acted upon by a force sufiicient to counteract the pressure of its spring tending to draw it backwards. In order to provide such a force, a heavy disc member 54 is securely mounted upon the shaft 4 and is adapted to co-operate with an abutment 55 on the block 52 to reduce the contact pressure between the pawl 49 and shaft 2|. The spring 46 withdraws the pawl from the shaft whereupon the latter is free to slide backwards under the action of its own spring. It should be noted that the release of the pawl is carried out practically non-frictionally.

There is substantially no wear, which is importaut from the point of view of reliability.

The blocks 21, 28, 29 and 53 are provided respectively with abutments 55, 51, 58 and 59 corresponding to the abutments 55 on the block 52 and each abutment is so positioned that it will contact with the member 54 when the same is moved forward. Thus, if one of the cams I4 has engaged with any of the five pairs of arms I 5, that particular pair will be freed in readiness to allow the corresponding shaft to move backwards.

By rotating the collar I I, Fig. 1, any particular shaft of the five selectable shafts I6, I8, 20, 2I and 22 may be selected, and is released by moving the clutch-pedal I.

It is essential that the arrangement of cams I4 on the cam-disc I3 should be such that only one shaft at a time can be selected. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 4 and assuming that it is desired to engage the reverse gear,

the collar II is rotated until one of the cams I4 causes the pawl 49 co-operating with the shaft I6 to be brought into readiness for withdrawal as described above. The clutch pedal I is pressed and the block 21 and fork 21A are then free to move backwards under the action of the spring 30.

If, now, it is desired to engage the first gear, the collar II is again turned until a cam I4 engages between the arms I5 associated with the shaft 22. The clutch-pedal is again actuated and the block 21 on the shaft I6 is drawn back into its neutral position shown in Fig. 2, and its co-operating pawl 49 will lock it in that position. Simultaneously with this locking movement, the pawl 49 will be freed from the selected shaft 22 and the latter will move backwards and, by reason of the lever 23, will move the shaft I'I forwards. The front end of the sleeve 25 will eventually encounter the saddle 38 and will carry the same forward, its striker 42 moving to a position 42 see Fig. 2, in which the first gear will be engaged.

If it is now desired to engage the second gear, the collar II is again rotated in order to release the shaft I8, the release of the latter which is completed by the clutch pedal stroke taking place simultaneously with the return of the striker 42 to its neutral position by means of a pin 60 fixed in the shaft IT. The shaft I8 now moves further backwards, the block 28 contacting with the lateral extension 40 and carrying the striker fork 42 into a position 42B in which the second gear is engaged. Return of the fork 42 to the neutral position is effected by a pin GI integral with the shaft I8 when the shaft I8 is moved back to new tral by the disc 54.

The engagement of the third and fourth gears by the fork 43 is effected in the same way as in the case of the fork 42, said fork 43 being carried forward to its position 43A (third gear), consequent upon release of shaft 2I, by the block 25 on the shaft I9 and returned by a pin 62, and backward to position 43B (fourth gear) by block 29 and returned to neutral position by a pin 63.

Any suitable connection may be made from ,the collar II to a selector control-handle 64 adapted to be mounted in the vicinity of the steering column of the automobile. For convenience, a segmental strip 55 may be provided in which notches 66 are out corresponding to the different shafts selected and gear engagements desired.

Although with the selecting mechanism described above it is impossible to release a shaft without first returning any shaft which might be out of its neutral position, in order to prevent any possibility of two gears being engaged at once an additional lockingv device is arranged on the end-plate 8, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A plate 61 is secured to the end-plate and is spaced from the latter by distance-pieces 68. Pivots 69. are arranged between the plate 8 and plate 61, and support four T-pieces 19. As previously mentioned, in Fig. 2 the mechanism is shown in its neutral position, and it will be noted that the shafts I6, l1, I8, I9 and 29 have grooved or tapered parts 1 I, 12, 13, 14 and 15 respectively, which are adjacent when the shafts are in neutral position. If any one of the shafts is moved axially, the position of its grooved or tapered part is changed and the T-piece immediately adjacent to it will be swung laterally, any such movement being conveyed to all the other T-pieces by reason of their contracting lower ends, see Fig. 2. The result is that all the unmoved shafts are locked in neutral position by the co-operation of the T- pieces with their grooved or tapered parts.

Referring now to the constructional modifications illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, a casing-like structure 16 supports three shafts 11, 18, and 19, fixedly secured in said casing by means of nuts and washers. A shaft 89 in connection with the clutch-pedal of the automobile passes through the centre of the casing 16, and has secured to it a heavy plate-member 8|. The latter is pivotally secured to one end of an adjustable connecting link 82, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a forked lever 83. The latter is mounted on a pivot 84 carried by a supporting member which is fixed by the casing 16. The two upper arms 86 and 81 of the lever 83 pass on either side of the central shaft 18, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and are adapted to contact with pins 88 and 89, shown in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 9, carried by saddle members 99 and 9!, which are slidably arranged on the shafts 11 and 19.

The shafts 11 and 19 support further slidable saddles 9,2 and 93 each of which is provided with a depending side-plate 94 adapted to co-act with the member 8|. The slidable saddles 99, 9I, 92 and 93 are respectively provided with claw-like extensions 95, 96, 91, and 98 the extensions and 91 together controlling a fork 99, Fig. 8, by co-operation with sliding collars I99 and I9I connected by a fiat strip I92 on which the fork is carried. The extensions 96 and 98 control collars I93 and I94 slidable on the shaft 18 and connected by a fiat strip I95, Fig. 12, which carries a fork I96, see Fig. 8.-

.The centre shaft 18.carries a single member I91 Figs. 8 and 12, to which a fork I98A is connected, the member I91 extending almost the length of the shaft and'being slidably supported upon the latter by means of collars I98 and I09. In each case the connecting strip and collar may be joined by being formed integrally as shown, or otherwise, whilst the various forks may be either formed integrally with the connecting strips or bolted as shown in Fig. 8.

The shaft 18 is shouldered at I I9 and the shafts 11 and 19 are fiatted at III and H2, as shown in Fig. 9 to allow a member II3 to be securely fixed upon the shaft 18. A spring I I4 is mounted between the member H3 and the collar I98. Springs H5, H6, H1 and H8 are also provided so that each saddle of the pairs of saddles 99 and 92 and 9| and 98 is drawn towards the saddle opposite it and on the same shaft. The member I91 isprovided with an abutment II9 which is adapted to co-operate with the plate-member 8|.

When in its neutral position, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the member I91 is constantly tending to move in the direction indicated by the arrow H in Fig. 8 by reason of the compression spring I I4 but is prevented from doing so, however, by a pawl I29 which engages a ridge I2I formed on the under side of the collar I99. The saddles 92 and 93 are also provided with ridges I22 and I23 respectively (see Fig. 11) which, by co-operation with pawls I24 and I25, resist the tendency of springs I I6 and I I1 to draw them backwards (i. e. in a direction away from the clutch-pedal). There are therefore three pawls I29, I29 and I25 controlling the centre member I91 and the two saddles 92 and 93 at the particular end of the casing under consideration. For the release of the three pawls a sector I26 is fixedly mounted upon a shaft I21 and has arranged upon its periphery cams I28, Fig. 11. The arrangement for the selection of the required striker forks by means of these cams is exactly the same as in the construction described above and comprises a pair of feeler arms I29 for each of the pawls.

The saddles 99 and 9I are also provided with looking pawls I39 and I3I engaging against ridges I32 and I33 formed upon the saddles as shown in Fig. 19. The shaft I21 is provided with a further cam sector-plate I34, the cams of which cooperate with pairs of feeler arms I29 controlling the pawls I39 and I3I. In this case also, the selection and release of the saddles 99 and M is accomplished as in the construction described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 7.

The striker fork I98A is intended to engage the reverse gear, the fork I96 the third and fourth gears and the fork 99 the first and second gears. The cams on the plates I34 and I26 are relatively arranged so that only one member at a time can be selected and also so that there is a neutral position. In Fig. 11, the positions of the parts correspond to the selecting positions of the camplates.

When it is desired to engage the reverse gear for example, the shaft I21 is rotated until a cam I28 on the plate I28 engages between the feelers I29 and thus causes the pawl I29 to be placed under spring pressure tending to withdraw it from contact with its abutment I2 I. The contact pressure however, is so considerable that the pawl cannot be disengaged until the pressure of the spring H4 is momentarily counteracted by the pressure of the member 8| against the abutment H9, which takes place upon the depression of the clutch-pedal (not shown). The pawl I29 then rapidly swings out of its locking position and the member I91 and striker I98A move backwards to the gear-engaging position under the action of the spring II4. If it is now desired to engage the first gear, the shaft I21 is again rotated until the pawl I25 is brought into a spring-pressed and releasable position. As soon as the clutch-pedal is fully depressed, the member I 91 is returned to its original position by the contact of the plate 8| with the abutment II9, the final movement of the plate causing said member I91 to be positively relocked in neutral position and the saddle 92 to be unlocked. The latter moves backwards under the action of its spring II6, encounters the collar I9I and thus carries the fork 99 along with it, the collar I98, which is connected to the collar I9I, being free to move backwards within the clawlike extension 95 for a sufficient distance to allow the backward movement to be fully accomplished. The free movement of the collar I99 in the extension 95 results in the saddle 99 when moved having a lost-motion to overcome. The saddle 92 is similarly arranged so that there is also lostmotion to overcome equal to a distance greater than the distance of travel of the fork 99 forwards.

If it is now desired to engage the second gear, the shaft I21 is further. rotated until one of the cams on the plate I 3.4 co-operates to make the saddle 99 releasable, whereupon movement of the member 8I by the clutch-pedal will return and relock the saddle 92 sothat the fork 99 is restored to its neutral position. At the same time, the saddle 98 is unlocked by the contact of the lever 86 with the pin 88 and slides forward under its spring I15. After having overcome its lost motion the saddle engages the collar I and carries the fork 99 forward to its gear-engaging position.

The selection and engagement of the third and fourth speeds is carried out by the release and subsequent movement of the saddles SI and 98 respectively, in precisely the same way as in the case of the saddles 92 and 90.

To ensure that two gears shall not be engaged at the same time, the fixed member I I 3 carries on pivots I36 two. L-pieces I31 and I38 which are arranged on opposite sides of the member I01 with their horizontal limbs meeting above the latter as shown in Fig. 10. The strips I92 and I05 associated with the forks I96 and 99 and the member I01 are formed with recesses I31 I31 and I31 as shown in Fig. 12 so that when one of the forks or said member is moved axially-the vertical limb of the L-piece which normally engages in one of the said recesses is moved aside, whilst the horizontal parts of said pieces coact to force the vertical limbs into intimate contact with the other unmoved fork and/or member.

Figs. 13 to 1'? illustrate a further form of the invention in which the clutch-pedal of the automobile is so connected as to impart movement to the mechanism in two directions, as will appear hereinafter. In this construction, the casing is formed integral with the main gear-box casting and is closed by a cover I40. Three splined shafts I4I, I42 and I43 are secured in the casing, the shaft I4I carrying a slidable saddle I44, the shaft I42 two similar saddles I45 and I46 and the shaft I43 also two similar saddles I41 and I48.

The saddles are actuated by means of heavy plate members I49 and IE0, see Fig. 16 which are carried upon slidable shafts I5I and I52, which, through flexible connections I53 and I54 are pivotally secured at I55 and I 56 to the opposite ends of a centrally-pivoted lev'er I51. The latter is secured to the clutch-pedal I58, so that when the latter is pushed down to force the clutch out of engagement, the shaft I5I moves forwards and the shaft I52 moves backwards.

Two lugs I59 and I60, Figs. 13 and 16, are formed on the inside of the cover I40 and carry pivots I5I and I62 upon which two pairs of arms I65, I66 and I63, I64 are supported. Each of the arms is free upon its pivot and a tension spring I 61 is anchored between each pair of arms I66 and I64 and I65 and I63. The ends of the arms abut against pins I68, I69, I and HI which are respectively fixed in the saddles I45, I41, I46 and I48, so that the saddles of each pair of saddles I45, and I46 and I41 and I48 tend to move towards each other. Such movement is rendered impossible, however, by a locking arrangement such as used in the above described constructions and which comprises pawls- I12 adapted to engage ridges I13, see Figs. 13 and 14, formed on. the saddles. The pre-selection and disengage,- ment of the pawls I12 is carried out as in the above-described constructions by the co-operation with feelers 300 of cams I14 on sector came plates I15. In this construction, however, the release of contact-pressure between a pawl and a ridge so as to allow a saddle to be freed, is effected by the members. I49 and. I50. The latter are provided respectively with raised working faces I16 and I11, the face I11 being adapted to contact with abutments I18 and I19 on the saddles I46 and I48, and the face I16 with abutments I80 and I8I on the saddles I44 and I45, and with a lateral abutment I 82 on the saddle I41. In this way, when the clutch-pedal lever I58 is pressed down each of the saddles momentarily has the spring-pressure upon it released, so that any particular saddle which has been selected will have its. restraining pawl I12 withdrawn from its ridge I13 and will move inwards under the action of its spring.

The saddle I44 is formed integrally with a selector or striker fork I8ZA being intended merely to engage the reverse gear, and its spring I83 is arranged between the collar I84 and the fixed member I85. The collar I 84 is integrally connected with the saddle I 44 by reason of a fiat strip I86 as shown in Figs. 14 and 16.

The saddles I45, I41, I46 and I48 are provided respectively with claw-like extensions I86A, I 81, I88 and I89, an opposite pair of such extensions jointly controlling one striker fork. Thus, the

extensions I 89 and I 81 operate the striker fork I90 associated with the engagement of the third and fourth gears, whilst the extensions I86A and I88 operate the striker fork I9I controlling the first and second gears. Both the striker forks I99 and I9I are moved as in the previous construction and are provided with strip-like parts I92 and I93, the ends of which are integral with square section collars I94 and I95 and I96 and I 91 respectively.

The selection of the saddles is carried out by two sectors cam plates I15, as already described, said plates being carried at opposite ends of a shaft I98 turnable in the cover I40.

When it is desired to engage any particular gear, the shaft I 98 is rotated until one of the cams I14 acts to bring the corresponding saddle into the releasable position. Depression of the clutch-pedal lever I58 then causes the members I49 and I50 to contact with the abutments on all the saddles and to return any one which has previously been displaced. The spring-pressure on all the saddles is also momentarily released so that the selected saddle can move backwards or forwards into its gear-engaging position under the action of its spring.

The shaft I 98 is conveniently made operable from the steering-wheel of the automobile.

L-pieces I 99, see Figs. 13, 14 and 16, are pivotally attached to the member I85 and pass between the strips I86, I93, and I92. As shown in Fig. 14 the strips are so shaped and the shanks of the L-piece so proportioned that movement of one of the strips will cause the contacting heads of the L-shaped pieces to coact and to lock the other two strips in the neutral position.

The arms I63, I64, I65 and I66 are provided with a series of holes 200, whereby the tension of the springs I61 may be adjusted.

Figs. 18 and 19 show an alternative arrangement of the striker-fork control. The fork 20I is here secured at its two collarelike ends 20IA and 20|B to a feathered shaft 202 by means of pins 203. Saddles 204 and 205 jointly control the fork 20! and the movement of one or other of the saddles results in the shaft 202 being carried backwards or forwards as the case may be. The shaft 202 is provided with a groove 206 and the other shafts (shown in Fig. 19) parallel to the shaft 202 are also provided with similar grooves 206A and 2003. The vertical shanks of pivoted L-pieces 201 co-operate with the said grooves in order to lock those shafts which are not to be moved when the other shaft is moved, as described above.

Fig. 20 illustrates a further method of controlling a striker fork 208 keyed to a feathered shaft 209. The latter is provided with enlarged parts 210 and 2| I, such that when a saddle 2l2 of the pair of saddles 2l2 and 2| 3 is released it carries the shaft 209 and striker 208 forward, for instance. If the forward movement is not actually limited by the gear engagement, it will be limited by the saddle 2 l3 abutting against the casing of the mechanism. In order to return the striker 208 to its neutral position a spring (not shown) is provided for pulling the saddle 2l2 backwards, the saddle abutting against the part 2l0 of the shaft 209, and, as soon as it is able to do so, returning the shaft and striker to their neutral positions.

In the two first described constructions of the selector mechanism, the striker forks were only moved one at a time. Such an arrangement is suitable where the gear-box to which the selector is applied is of the synchro-mesh or epicyclic type, especially as in all cases the gear-engaging movement is not positive but only under spring action. In a modification, however, the construction could be modified by the introduction of such cam-surfaces on sector cam plates so as to allow more than one striker fork to be selected at a time.

By providing two or more sets of cams and pawls, two or more shafts may be selected and moved simultaneously. In this way, it will be possible to use certain types of gear boxes which hitherto it has not been found practicable to use on account of the complicated arrangement and operation of the gear change lever.

I claim:

1. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members, the combination of a number of slidable members, locking means for a slidable member comprising a movable locking element and a locking surface on the slidable member engageable therewith, movable means that positively restrain said locking element from movement from such surface in one position of such movable means and in another position to free it from such restraint, means tending to move the locking element after such restraint is removed, means acting when such restraint is moved to exert pressure between member surface and locking element to maintain locking engagement thereof, such pressure being superior to the force acting to free the looking engagement during the period when such restraint is removed, and operator-operated means to release such pressure and leave the slidable member free to slide.

2. Mechanism as in claim 1 in which the coacting surfaces of shoulder and locking element have slidable friction contact.

3. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members, the combination of a number of slidable members, means comprising a movable locking element and a surface on the slidable member engageable therewith, means holding said looking element and surface positively in engagement, means freeing such positive engagement while retaining element and surface in looking relation, and subsequently acting means effecting the separation of locking element and surface.

4. Mechanism as in claim 3 having operatively connected with the locking element two springactuated movable members in opposed relation that respectively act to positively hold said locking element in looking engagement and free it for subsequent releasing movement, and operator-operated means controlling movement of said members.

5. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members, the combination of a number of slidable members, means comprising a movable locking element and a surface On the slidable member engageable therewith, means holding said locking element and surface positively in engagement, means freeing such positive engagement while retaining element and surface in looking relation, subsequently acting means effecting the sep- 'aration of locking element and surface, and

means tending normally to move the slidable member in the direction to hold said locking element and said surface in locking engagement.

6. Mechanism as in claim 3 having operatively connected with the locking element two springactuated movable members in opposed relation that respectively act to positively hold said looking element in looking engagement and free it for subsequent releasing movement, operatoroperated means controlling movement of said members, and spring means acting on the slidable member normally to hold surface and locking element in looking engagement, said spring means exerting a pressure sufiicient to overcome the force of the spring acting on said movable member.

'7. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members, the combination of a number of slidable members, means comprising a movable locking element and a surface on the slidable member engageable therewith, a pair of opposing pivoted arms operatively connected with said locking element and movable independently of one another, spring means acting on said arms tending to move them towards one another, and an operator-operated device adapted to impart movement to said arms.

8. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members to effect the engagement and disengagement of gear wheels, the combination of a pair of such members movable in opposite directions to cause the engagement and disengagement of two different sets of gear wheels, an operating connection between said members, and an additional slidable member adapted to control engagement and disengagement of another set of gear wheels.

9. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members to control the engagement and disengagement of the gear wheels of a four speed and reverse gear box, the combination of a pair of interconnected slidable members adapted to control the engagement of the first and second gears, a pair of interconnected slidable members adapted to control the engagement of the third and fourth gears,

and an independent slidable member adapted to control the engagement of the reverse gear.

10. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members to control the engagement and disengagement of the gear wheels of a four speed and reverse gear box, the combination of a pair of interconnected slidable members adapted to control the engagement of the first and second gears, a pair of interconnected slidable members adapted to control the engagement of the third and fourth gears, an independent slidable member adapted to control the engagement of the reverse gear, spring means for moving all the slidable members to operative position, and operator-actuated means to return said slidable members to their original position.

11. In mechanism for selectively operating one of a number of normally locked slidable members to control the engagement and disengagement of the gear wheels of a four speed and reverse gear box, the combination of a fixed shaft, a pair of interconnected slides mounted on said shaft adapted to control the engagement and disengagement of the first and second gears, a second fixed shaft, a pair of interconnected slides mounted on said second fixed shaft adapted to control the engagement and disengagement of the third and fourth gears, a third fixed shaft and a slide mounted thereon adapted to control the operation of the reverse gear.

12. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1, in which one or more of the members to be moved are adapted to occupy two operative and neutral positions, one operative position on one side of a neutral position and the other on the other side thereof, and means to cause the same to take such positions.

13. Mechanism of the character described, having slidable members, and locking means with a movable lock element, selecting devices for the locking means loosely connected with the respective lock elements and means associated with the selecting devices that tend to withdraw their associated lock means from locking position.

14. Mechanism as claimed in claim 13, having the locking and selecting devices each comprise a pivoted lever or levers, spring means adapted to act on said levers, the selecting lever or levers being movable independently of the locking device.

15'. Mechanism of the character described for the engagement and disengagement of gear wheels, said mechanism comprising at least one pair of interconnected oppositely movable slidable members adapted by movement in opposite directions to cause the engagement and disengagement of two different sets of gear wheels, and comprising a further slidable member adapted to control the engagement and disengagement of another set of gear wheels.

CHARLES HUMPHREY HUMPHREYS. 

